Middle Earth in Wellington

Written by: John Richards - Reading time: 2 minutes

So, there’s no better place to be for Middle Earth fans than Wellington. Whether your interest is only dwarf sized or your thirst for LOTR knowledge could engulf Mordor, there is something for everyone in Wellington!

A short bus ride away from the capital, in the little town of Miramar is Weta Caves: the world famous special effects company, where with a little help from Peter Jackson they have turned The Hobbit, An Unexpected Journey, into a 3D trilogy. You can visit the caves for free and get all the latest merchandise from all of the films Weta have made.

You can also watch a short film that gives you a little insight into the secret goings on of the team, who have made so many masterpieces, both by hand and computer.

You can even visit some of the film locations here in Wellington; a mighty walk up Mt. Victoria will lead you to the spot where Frodo and his companions hid under a tree from the Ringwraith in The Fellowship of The Ring. You can also run down the same hill Frodo and Sam did to escape their enemies!

A little further afield in Lower Hutt is a spot where all the Rivendell scenes were filmed. You can even dip your feet in the same river Aragorn nearly drowned in!

Of course it’s better to see things with fellow(ship!) fans, so why not hop on Ted’s Lord of The Rings tour, where you can see these magnificent sights closer and learn all there is to know from the knowledgeable tour guide. Or alternatively a Wellington FilmTour which not only shows you places from the LOTR films but also other movies filmed in Wellington.

To make sure no one missed the date of the premiere, a large countdown clock was revealed above The Embassy theatre where the film was screened for the first time.